to contract them. Since Ai-ku cannot get along with her husband and is not liked by her parents-in-law, it is best to do what I had suggested before: separate. But my prestige is not great enough and I have not been able to persuade you. Now His Honor Seven is a most just and understanding man, as you well know. Now His Honor also thinks the same, the same as I do. However, His Honor says that both sides should retreat a step. Let the Shihs pay ten dollars more, he says. That makes ninety dollars!"
As Chuang Mu-san said nothing, he continued: "Ninety dollars! You'll never get that much even if you take the case all the way up to the Emperor himself, and he an uncle of yours. But our honorable Seven is a generous man: no one else would offer you so much."
The honorable Seven fixed his eyes on Chuang Mu-san and nodded.
Ai-ku realized that the situation was getting critical. She was peeved at her father's silence, her father who ordinarily inspired no small degree of awe in the inhabitants along the seashore. She felt that his timidity was unnecessary. Though she did not understand much of what the honorable Seven said, yet she felt that he was to all appearances a gentle and kindly man and that there was nothing in him to be afraid of, as she had first imagined.
"Your Honor is a scholar and an understanding man, a most understanding man," she said, as she gathered courage. "Not like us country people. I have a grievance for which I have not been able to get redress and I want to tell it to Your Honor. Ever since I was married into their house I have always bowed my head in and bowed my head out, and I have never done anything lacking in propriety. But
